1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to rear seat assemblies that tumble and fold.
2. Background Art
Minivans and SUVs are popular in part due to their vast storage capabilities. These vehicles have rear seats and often times auxiliary or third row seating. The seats are anchored to a vehicle floor and have a seat cushion and a seat back. To further increase the storage capacity of the vehicle, the seats need to be stored. Two popular storage options are (1) to pivot the seat cushion forward and fold the seat back into the space previously occupied by the seat (known as xe2x80x9cfold flatxe2x80x9d) and (2) to fold the seat back onto the seat cushion and pivot both the seat back and seat cushion forward (known as xe2x80x9cfold and tumblexe2x80x9d). Both options have benefits and drawbacks.
Accordingly, it is desirable to design a seat assembly that combines the advantages of the fold-flat and fold-and-tumble seat assemblies without any of the drawbacks.
The present invention provides a foldable and tumblable seat assembly having a base having a front and a rear end. The front end of the base is pivotally connected to the vehicle floor. A seat bottom frame having a front end and a rear end is also provided. The front end of the seat bottom frame is pivotally connected proximate the front end of the base. The seat assembly includes a lower arm having an upper end and a lower end. The lower end of the lower arm is pivotally connected proximate the rear end of the base. The invention also provides an upper arm having an upper end and lower end. The lower end of the upper arm is pivotally connected to the upper end of the lower arm. A seat back is attached to at least the upper arm.
The seat may be used as either a fold-flat seat or a fold-and-tumble seat. To use it as a fold-flat seat, the seat bottom frame is pivoted forward proximate the front end and the seat back is pivoted downwardly by pivoting the lower arm proximate its lower end. To use the seat as a fold-and-tumble seat, the seat back is pivoted about the connection between the upper arm and lower arm such that the seat back is laying on top of the seat bottom frame. The seat bottom frame and the seat back are then pivoted forward.